Tool for removing end of collapsible walled tube



Aug. 4, 1959 W. D. KIRKPATRICK ETAL TOOL FOR REMOVING END OF COLLAPSIBLE WALLED TUBE Filed Jan. 5, 1958 j] INVENTORS nited States Patent TOOL FOR REMOVING END OF COLLAPSIBLE WALLED TUBE William D. Kirkpatrick and Arthur L. Newman, Kelseyville, Calif., assignors to Red Devil Tools, Union, N.J., a corporation Application January s, 1958, Serial N0. 707,002 1 Claim. (Cl. 81-334 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tools and is directed more particularly to devices for piercing, and removing a portion of, a collapsible tube to facilitate removal of the contents of the tube.

The principal object of the invention is directed to the provision of a tool device which is constructed and arranged for piercing the side wall of a collapsible walled tube and prying olf the adjacent end wall thereof that the contents of the tube may be removed therefrom.

Paint pigments, paint making materials, and various other materials are commonly supplied in tubes having relatively thin collapsible walls, and a fiat end wall. The material from which the tubes are formed is usually of soft, collapsible, and rupturable metal.

The removal of the end wall with ordinary tools such as a knife or the like, for the removal of the contents of the tube, which may be a pigment or similar material, is difficult, if not impossible, and in any event, the results are disordered and untidy and therefor objectionable.

Pigments and paint making materials are damaging to clothing and the like, and it is difiicult, and sometimes impossible to clean the hands entirely of the material on the first attempt.

According to the novel features of this invention, a tool is provided which is constructed with a piercing element or cutter at one end thereof which is adapted to pierce the side Wall of a tube adjacent the end wall to be removed in combination with a heel portion which may abut the end wall and end of the tube.

With the tube held in one hand, the side wall thereof is pierced and the tool is swung outwardly away from the end of the tube. The heel of the tool bears on, or fulcrums on, the edge of the tube substantially opposite the point of piercing so that the end wall, by the tilting or swinging of the end of the tool, is removed or torn from the tube providing an open end for the ready and easy removal of the contents thereof.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the form of the invention within the scopethereof. The form of the invention presently preferred will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top edge view of the end portion of the tool embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool formed in accordance with the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the tool shown.

in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is side elevational view of a tube from which the end wall is to be removed with the heel of the tool disposed thereagainst; and

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, showing the end Wall of the tube being removed.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the novel features of the invention will be fully described.

The tool 2 of the invention preferably includes an elongated metal strip having a rear hand engaging grip portion 4 and a forward end 6 for operating on the end portion of a collapsible tube.

A cut out or throat portion 8 is formed in the forward end of the tool, and a piercing element 10 extends downwardly into said throat portion. The piercing element 10 is in a plane which is offset or elevated from or above the plane of the grip portion 4. A lower heel portion 12 projects downwardly from the handle below the throat portion 8.

Opposite inner and outer edges 14 and 16 of the piercing element 10 are relatively converging into the throat portion 8 so as to form a sharp piercing point 18.

The piercing element 10 is olfsetfrom the plane of the handle grip portion 4 to provide a space therebetween.

The piercing point 18 inclines slightly towards the 7 plane of the grip portion 4. Said point is spaced from the plane of the handle sufiiciently so that the end wall of a tube may be disposed between said point and the heel portion 12.

The piercing point element 18 is scarfed or sharpened so as to provide a sharp thin point adapted for easily piercing the side wall of a tube.

In operation, with the tool handle 4 gripped in one hand and a collapsible tube in the other hand, the side wall of the tube T is pierced by the piercing point 18 so that it is disposed at the inner side of the end wall T of the tube, as shown in Fig. 4. The heel portion 12 of the tool is on the outer side of the end wall.

With the piercing point rearwardly of the end wall T to be removed, the tool is tilted or swung outwardly away from the end of the tube. The heel portion 12 may pivot or swing on the end of the tube opposite the point of piercing of the side wall.

As the end of the tool is swung or tilted outwardly, as described, and with the piercing element at the inner side of the end wall T, the margin of said end wall is separated or torn from the side wall of the tube and is removed.

The end wall in Fig. 5 is shown as being severed or removed from the tube end, but continued movement of the end portion of the tool will complete the severance of the end wall from the tube.

Thus, with the end wall of the tube removed, the tube has an open end so that the contents of the tube may be easily removed by progressively squeezing the tube from its closed end.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the end wall of a tube may be easily and readily removed by piercing the side wall of the tube with the piercing element and then tilting or swinging the end of the tool outwardly.

A tool may be formed by modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and therefor, it is desired to be limited, if at all, by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description of the invention at present preferred.

We claim:

A tool for removing the end wall from the adjacent side wall of a collapsible tube by cutting through the said side wall adjacent said end wall comprising, an elongated flat strip of relatively rigid and relatively thin metal having a rear elongated handle portion and a forward end portion formed with a heel and a piercing element, the heel portion extending laterally outwardly relative to a lower edge of the handle portion and being in the same plane as the handle portion, an upper edge of the heel portion inclining inwardly and upwardly from the forward end edge of the tool, the piercing element being disposed at the upper side of the forward portion and having relatively converging outer and in ner elongated sides forming a sharp point directed to- Patented Aug. 4, 1959f wards ;and.disposedupwardly from theupper edge of nected to the-inner portion of the upper edge of the heel portion and cooperating withupper and rear. edge of thepiercing element to provide athroasextending inwardly from the end of the tool and havingtan en largement rearwardly of the piercing element, the piercing element being displaced laterally from the plane of a side face of the handle and heel portions with the sharp point'thereof curving slightly towards but spaced from the plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,486,249 Jensen Mar. 11, 1924 1,500,596 Ross July 8, 1924 1,542,075 Mitchell June 16, 1925 2,089,822 Ange Aug. 10, 1937 2,568,612 Cullen Sept. 18, 1951 Hammond Sept. 3, 1957 

